Approach for controlling audio signals in remote location

Abstract

An example embodiment is directed to use in a facility benefiting from the distribution of audio throughout different facility zones (“audio zones”), with each audio zone receiving an audio signal from a remotely-located audio distribution controller. For controlling audio at a user-controlled speaker load located in one of the audio zones, a circuit arrangement includes isolation circuit, speaker load circuit, user-input device and an audio control unit. The isolation circuit generates a transformed audio signal by provide an impedance-matched termination and by permitting one of a number of impedance-matching circuits to be set wherein each impedance-matching circuit provides a different amount of electrical power to the speaker load. The speaker load circuit delivers, in response to the transformed audio signal, audible signals in the audio zone. The audio control unit has a microprocessor adapted to control the delivery of the audible signals in response to the input commands generated via the user-input device.

1. An arrangement for use in a facility with a plurality of audio zones receiving at least one audio signal from a remotely-located audio distribution controller—and for controlling audio at a user-controlled speaker load located in at least one of the audio zones, the arrangement comprising:
 an isolation circuit for generating at least one transformed audio signal in response to receiving said at least one audio signal, the isolation circuit including an impedance-matching circuit that provides impedance-matched termination for said at least one audio signal, the impedance-matched termination adapted to provide a selection between a number of settings each setting for the impedance-matching circuit having a different maximum limit on an amount of electrical power to the speaker load and a volume control limited by a maximum limit corresponding to a currently-selected setting for the impedance-matched termination; 
 a speaker load circuit for delivering, in response to said at least one transformed audio signal, audible signals in the at least one of the audio zones; 
 a user-input device coupled to provide input commands; and 
 an audio control unit located in said at least one of the audio zones and remote from the audio distribution controller, the audio control unit having a microprocessor adapted to control the delivery of the audible signals in response to the input commands. 
 
     
     
       2. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , wherein the user-input device includes front panel user-communication selectors for sending commands to the microprocessor. 
     
     
       3. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , wherein the user-input device includes front panel wireless communication means for sending commands to the microprocessor. 
     
     
       4. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for remote control of external system equipment. 
     
     
       5. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 4 , wherein the microprocessor, in response to stimulus from infrared input, is further adapted to provide visually-recognizable indications of a volume status. 
     
     
       6. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input and the infrared control circuit provides pass-through infrared signaling for remotely controlling external system equipment. 
     
     
       7. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from both a user-engaged input and an infrared input. 
     
     
       8. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 7 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to respond to a condition in which both the user-engaged input and the infrared input are activated simultaneously, by processing the user-engaged input over the infrared input and by providing visual indication of the input command. 
     
     
       9. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including a separate panel circuit connection for proving an override command to the audio control unit, wherein the override command causes the audio control unit to switch to a predetermined override setting as determined by user commands previously received by the audio control unit and regardless of a current state of a current volume setting, to provide visual indication of the override level setting, and to revert back to a pre-override state of the audio control unit in response to an override signal being removed. 
     
     
       10. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 9 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to respond to stimulus from both the override command and a user-engaged input, and to respond to the user-engaged input being activated during processing of the override command, by processing the user-engaged input over the override command and by ignoring the override command until the override command is removed and then reapplied at the separate panel circuit connection. 
     
     
       11. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including a separate panel circuit connection for proving an override command to the audio control unit, wherein the override command causes the audio control unit to mute audio. 
     
     
       12. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor responds to the input commands by controlling audio volume through the speaker load. 
     
     
       13. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is responsive to the user input commands for selectively setting ones of the impedance-matching circuits. 
     
     
       14. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for controlling audio volume through the speaker load. 
     
     
       15. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for selectively setting ones of the impedance-matching circuits. 
     
     
       16. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to  claim 1 , further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for activating visual indicators associated with ones of the impedance-matching circuits. 
     
     
       17. The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for controlling audio volume. 
     
     
       18. The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for selectively controlling the impedance-matching circuit. 
     
     
       19. The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for activating visual indicators associated with the impedance-matching circuit. 
     
     
       20. For use in a facility with a plurality of audio zones receiving at least one audio signal from a remotely-located audio distribution controller, an arrangement for controlling audio at a user-controlled speaker load located in at least one of the audio zones, comprising:
 means for generating at least one transformed audio signal in response to receiving said at least one audio signal, for providing an impedance-matched termination for said at least one audio signal, and for setting one of a number of impedance-matching circuits wherein each impedance-matching circuit is adapted to provide a different amount of electrical power to the speaker load; 
 a speaker load circuit for delivering, in response to said at least one transformed audio signal, audible signals in the at least one of the audio zones; 
 user-input means for providing input commands; and 
 an audio control unit located in said at least one of the audio zones and remote from the audio distribution controller, the audio control unit having a microprocessor adapted to control the delivery of the audible signals in response to the input commands.